A total of 13 people were killed in an explosion at a facility in Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, one of the world’s most important liquefied natural gas (LNG) hubs, QatarEnergy said on Monday. According to the preliminary information, the victims included Indian and Pakistani nationals, according to a Gulf news report.
The company said investigations were underway to determine the cause of the blast. It added that the incident did not affect Qatar’s LNG exports, with gas facilities and Ras Laffan Port continuing to operate normally.
The Embassy of India in Qatar, however, has not confirmed the deaths yet.
The embassy did express deep concern over the incident at Ras Laffan Industrial City that left several people injured and others missing, according to local authorities.
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In a statement posted on social media, the embassy said it was closely monitoring the situation and stood in solidarity with the Government and people of Qatar.
“The Embassy of India, Doha expresses deep concern at the unfortunate incident that occurred at the Ras Laffan Industrial City yesterday, in which several people got injured and some are missing as per authorities,” the mission said.
The embassy also wished a speedy recovery to those injured and expressed hope for the safe return of those reported missing.
“At this challenging and difficult time, the Embassy of India and the entire Indian community in Qatar stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Qatar. We wish for speedy recovery of those injured and hope and pray for the safety of those missing,” it said.
The embassy’s statement did not mention any Indian fatalities in the incident. The copy will be updated if the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) or the embassy confirms any deaths among Indian nationals.
Investigation underway to understand reason of explosion
QatarEnergy did not provide detail on where in the plant the explosion took place nor the extent of the damage but Saad al-Kaabi, CEO of QatarEnergy CEO and Qatar’s energy minister, said an investigation had started into the incident, according to Reuters.
The blast rattled windows and was felt across central Doha, panicking residents more than 70 kilometres from Ras Laffan.
The incident highlights the challenges Gulf producers face in ramping up oil and gas production from facilities shut in during the Iran war.
Qatar has been among the hardest hit by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as it has no alternative routes to export its LNG.
